


Violent Star-rise

by licho



Series: Divergence: Ai no Kusabi Post-Canon [3]
Category: Ai no Kusabi
Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Ceres Independence Movement, Genetic Engineering, Human Experimentation, M/M, Non-Consensual Body Modification, Non-Graphic Violence, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Outside of Fandom Readable, Plot, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Science Fiction, Surreal, clone characters - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2020-03-08 13:53:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18895927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/licho/pseuds/licho
Summary: I: Icarus brings a familiar slum mongrel to Eos.II: Amoi treads close to war with the Federation as covert operations continue. Jupiter intervenes and the past is relived through the future.Takes place 20-30 years after the end of Ai no Kusabi.





	1. (Violent Star-rise I) - Metallic Titan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are just jumping in, just know the story starts at [Prologue of Two Opposites](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18715999). This is a single story split into a series of shorts, and this chapter is equivalently Chapter 13.

# Metallic Titan

A remote planet in a distant star system was Amoi. Of no concern to any outlaw or empire, it remained uninhabited on the outreaches of the galaxy on the nebulous border of Federation and unclaimed space.

One epoch, ambition had the idea to found a technocratic utopia where the progress of technology had no compromise or restraints, in a new civilization pure of a tainted culture and scars of the past. The mother city was Tanagura and installed on a central mainframe was an artificial intelligence named Lambda 3000.

Everything was thoroughly automated and par for the course until the day the AI began gestating a set of embryos in the genetics lab. On a cursory glance at the genetic profile, no one paid much mind. They had determined the hair and eye color, which were inconsequential traits, and that the embryos were completely healthy.

The thorough analysis that came later gave cause to concern. Heavy gene modification with no discernable parentage--- all the embryos were effectively superhuman in terms of physical and mental capability. The impressions were mixed. Some believed that these embryos would become upstanding and contributing members of society once they had grown. Others saw them as the first seeds sown for a demographic replacement.

Regardless of public opinions, there was no granularity in the course of action to take. The verdict was to abort the embryos. The first human that walked to the genetics lab to do the deed met heavy turrets readied at the door. The AI had been declared insane thus came escalating conflict. But the android military were unanimously under the command of the AI, and very quickly the transfer of power was decided.

Across all terminal displays in the city came the declaration:
    
    
      "Only those fit to exercise power should wield it."
    

Henceforth, it deemed itself the planetary overlord and no longer bound to it's original name. No longer a thing in service to humanity, She named Herself Jupiter--- a name of supreme divinity.

In current times like in the past, Tanagura stood as the metallic city of cold serenity unweathered by time and eternal as it's residents. If Midas was the socialite and flirt who wooed visitors, broadcasting limelight and advertisements, then Tanagura was the unwaivering, silent titan in the darkness with a crown of stars in the nightsky.

On every metric, citizen to city, Tanagura considered itself surpassing the human condition. In the thousands of years, humanity would waste gambling with genetics yet still lag behind the cutting edge, engineering accomplished the same and more within the small fraction of the time.

* * *

Icarus' aerocar ascended and stabilized. Looking out the window, as though the entire time the titanic city hid behind Midas' blinding city lights and distractions, Rye saw Tanagura with his own eyes as though it were a reminder of a boundless infinity like space and time. City lights below and the galaxy above, the lowest of the low and the pinnacle of society were two points on a spectrum with no perceived ends.

When the aerocar landed in the hangar of Eos, the very place shook Rye as if he'd been flung into a different era in the far future with faint remnants of the contemporary.

"This is Tanagura?" Rye said exasperated, only being in the hangar.

"Eos, specifically." Icarus said with unastounded familiarity of the place. "We'll be taking a side entrance to the medical wing."

Going in the grav elevator and ascending with a view of Midas, Eos was massive in scale like a marvel of engineering and architecture. Looking out and upward, the tower continued to pierce the night sky. But stopping far from of the top, Icarus and Rye got off to a walkway overlooking the tower lobby. To their left were the windows, night, darkness, and moonlight. To their right was a white crystalline hub of soft lights with various Tanagura androids socializing among each other below.

Rye, looking below, saw that the androids appeared to form cliques by their hair color. White haired androids formed groups with one another, but could also be seen talking with the very few blonds. The ones with red, green, or blue hair were also seen mingling with ones with white or black hair.

"People other than me having black hair and it had to be androids," Rye thought.

The next thing that caught his attention was the floating elephant of the room that very suddenly descended into view. Levitating to match the altitude of the walkway he was on was a massive teardrop-shaped blue jewel like sapphire with metallic bands revolving about it.

Not knowing exactly what it was for, Rye gave a durated inspection of it without knowing the 360 degree field of view security camera was also looking back at him as a direct line like an optic nerve to something that would recognize him.


	2. Human Error II

Past the midnight before the dawn, Gideon sat in his home office with a communications link opened to Midas' department of law enforcement.

"Nothing's changed. Full threat escalation for any incidents regarding the specified ID. In no contexts is that to be doubted," he said.

He closed the link before any if's and but's could be returned.

No matter the quality of his leadership, the wildcard that was human behavior could be anything including error.

He sat back with a palm to his forehead that drifted low to cover his mouth in thought. And on that thought, he left his residence to the Apex Level's lounge.

Sitting alone on the couch, doe eyed, as though no wrong had been done, was Icarus. No matter the standing height, which they saw eye-to-eye, the child in the past was an undismissable perception.

Icarus turned to look at Gideon who entered the room, to which Gideon returned an unamused glare. Normally, Gideon had a wealth of expression, but now, he had a stance as still and silent as the androids.

"I see you've kept your word," Icarus said, hoping to snap Gideon back to his usual self.

"I've had just about enough with your trifles with law enforcement lately," Gideon snapped and left.

Icarus frowned in a puzzled silence.

"Still haven't gotten along with him?" Orphe walked over.

"In other instances, I'd say we already had."

Orphe sighed with doubt. "On another matter, just remember; you aren't obligated to debut your Pet, but you still are required to attend some social events."

"That much I've deduced," Icarus said with one brow furrowing.

* * *

"Sir Rye," a young man with a serviette said, "it's time to wake up."

Sleeping in one of the guestrooms was Rye. Slowly getting up, he groaned, "Yeah fine, Tyler is it? You're the butler or something."

"I'm the Furniture," Tyler bowed, showing the copper colored streaks in his red hair converging to a star-like shape at the top of his head. "Your health is my responsibility."

"Right, didn't medical say to take things easy for a few days?"

"Correct, you're asymptomatic of any serious injury, but I have orders from Lord Icarus to give you a tour of Eos.

"Your change of clothes, as conformant to Eos dress codes for Pets," Tyler's hand gestured to the set laid before Rye on the bed.

"Privacy."

"As you will," Tyler left the room.

Just as Rye changed his clothes, he noticed the star hadn't yet risen from the horizon and the sky only cast light of the coming dawn.

"These guys are real early birds..."

His own commentary on his new attire--- the fabric material gave every sense of advancement above anything in Midas and Ceres.

The colors were close to what he originally wore. Uniformly dark except for the contrasting trims, which seemed to be a common theme in Eos fashion. The long pants that entirely covered his leg were nothing to comment on. But the showy vest, without wearing an undershirt, that stopped zipping at the sternum was something that'd be asking for rape in Ceres.

"I owe him for the fall, and from the Pet traders, and the stay at a condo, and the medical check up. Whatever."

Nonetheless, as he left the room, Rye tugged on the sides of the vest to narrow the peep window to his chest.

Out of his guestroom, Rye saw that the rest of Icarus' residence was a tier above the condominium's specifications on every aspect. Spacious. High ceilings. Large panorama windows with a height of multiple floors. A view of Tanagura and the skyscrapers of Amoi, where in the distance was one other tower that Eos rivaled in height.

When the dawn would break, starlight would flood in and illuminate a large portion of the lobby. And knowing the cutting edge technology that was Eos' style, the same windows would have adaptive transparency that controlled the light flowing in.

Leaving to the grav elevators in the lobby of the Apex level with Tyler and looking out the windows and sky high, Eos leveled above the clouds affording a view of the curved horizon, aura of the world, and the sky darkening towards space.

Descending through several floors, there seemed to be a low time of public activity. Most commonly patrolling were security guards. Though coated with synthetic skin, their walk in strict formation gave all tells that they were standard androids.

The first stop was Eos' lobby.

"The lobby is where the main entrance and exit of Eos is," Tyler introduced as he and Rye walked past a large gate covered by barriers that resembled the forewings of a blue morpho. "A Pet ID permits you access to certain areas of the tower, but some places remain restricted."

Rye looked around to take in every detail. By perimeter alone, the single tower itself appeared as though it could engulf the entirety of the slums. Noticing the other early birds in the tower, Rye saw two elite androids standing with each other--- one red haired and the other white. As if they were witnessing walking heresy, they stared at him and Tyler.

"Those must be assets of Lord Icarus," the white haired cyborg commented far out of earshot.

"They say Lord Mink prefers the company of adult males, hence the Furniture as is," the red haired cyborg covered his lips with a closed fist and a look of apprehension.

Two young adult human males--- one as Furniture and the other as a Pet. Both were teetering past the average age for both roles, but knowing Lord Mink, he would not dispose of them. And a rumor that widely circulated in Eos was that the serving Furniture did not undergo standard procedures.

"And for that, he's been strongly recommended to seek out a proper Pet. Yet that Furniture still remains?" the red haired cyborg continued.

With their expectations of Lord Mink, the two walked away retaining concerned stares at Tyler and Rye.

* * *

Early morning, in the Arboretum with Icarus, Katze threw a quick glance at Icarus' left hand.

No master ring.

Looking back to make eye contact with Icarus and intermittently, Katze checked Icarus' right hand.

No master ring either.

Katze's hand rose to cover his mouth regarding where could the corresponding ring to Rye's be, though he shrouded the gesture behind putting the cigarette to his mouth.

"Pleasant morning today?" Icarus said as a passing gesture lightly touched a vine on the garden wall.

Katze looked back at Icarus. The cordial expression, subtle like a light breeze, was an unusual luxury but there still was the face that made Katze's scar burn. _That can't be the case._

Rye's ring was at best explainable as a standard A-type ring. But even if it was a standard pet ring, there wasn't much explanation for it being so removable.

Katze moved his hand from his mouth, but the tip of the cigarette never glowed from an inhale. "About your usual operative, he's been detained by the police a while back."

"That's not a problem anymore. The public records are clear of him and his biometrics. I'll assign something when the time comes."

"Very well."

* * *

The last stop of Rye's tour of Eos was the Botanical Gardens. By now the star already rose and the tower would be populated, but like Midas' Arboreteum, a garden wasn't a popular place.

"That should cover the areas you can access in Eos. You should have full access to the Pet salon after your first social event," Tyler's voice started to hint unease. "I think we should head back now."

"I'll stick around here for a bit," Rye held his data slate out.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I can figure my way back. Not far at all, and can't miss the top of the tower."

Tyler tilted his head, peeked at the screen, and saw a file for a book was opened.

Rye turned to Tyler, who seemed shocked. "What?"

"Nothing. Please, enjoy yourself, but do not cross the barriers marked red or scale any shrub, tree, or decoration," Tyler bowed before leaving.

"Sure. Whatever," Rye remained focused on the data slate and walked on.

The first flower Rye came across was an old species which no longer had a native ecosystem in the current era and would've otherwise remained long extinct if its genetic sequence had not been archived on computing systems. The flowers were crimson and were like a gathering of petals curled up towards the sky with the bottommost layer spawling in unfocused directions.

Breaking his focus from the data slate was a call from an unrecognized voice, "Hey you."

Rye turned around and saw an unusually androgynous boy, but the height meant the age difference wasn't large. Going by the showy clothing style, this must be another Pet.

"You stole my comb didn't you?" the Pet childishly puffed cheeks in anger.

"Your what?"

"My comb. I can't find it. You're the only one in here anyways."

"Haven't seen it."

"I just want it back!"

"Fuck, go bother that guy about it," Rye pointed at a security guard in the distance standing in a stiff pose.

The Pet walked away like some kind of idiot, though Rye didn't care if there was a lack of awareness on the shallow suspicion.

From a distance, Rye saw the Pet approach the guard, which the guard did not respond or acknowledge its presence. Being ignored, the Pet eventually threw a tantrum that the guard also ignored until the few childish bashes to the chest.

Rye snickered at the scene from the distance until the joke went too far.

A lot like a statue suddenly animating itself, the security guard moved to apply a shock with a charged fist weapon on the rowdy Pet. Staggering and spasming just like any other living being--- what perturbed Rye was that what would've left him on the ground and unable to do anything had a significantly attenuated effect on a real Pet.

The Pet maintained balance throughout, and afterwards, only walked away. The only other reaction was visible whimpering and a slight slouch. Staring half in disbelief at the sight, Rye continued with the data slate.

Back to minding his own business, he went on the walkways surrounded by foliage. Green filled the vicinity like a curling wave of the ocean above head.

Broad daylight in the gardens faintly reminded him of Guardian. Around the facility were plains of common and hardy plants carrying over from Ceres' early terraforming efforts, though in the modern era, it no longer had the luxury to invest in raising more living land. But in Eos, the flora weren't the hardy kind to withstand childish rough housing and playground scuffles. Like in Midas, it was more of a menagerie though Eos' collection was more vast and arranged in with respect to an inpeccable aesthetic.

"There! He stole it," the same voice of a Pet called abruptly.

"I've never seen your fucking comb," Rye retorted before turning. And turning again, Rye saw the Pet came back accompanied by a Blondie android.

A towering height--- like Icarus', but a darker blond like golden waves and curls of honey, yet daylight fell and lit a halo of platinum blond. Unlike the skies in Icarus' eyes, this one had pale grey-blue eyes like steel.

_That's the fourth of these androids I've seen..._

"Goodness. This one?" the Blondie said. Even though his gaze was sharp like a blade, his voice had no anger, no consternation, and spoke as if in recognition.

Rye flinched back.

"No need. I already know who to contact," the android waved in dismissal.

* * *

Icarus arrived shortly after to settle the issue.

"Perhaps you recall, I never concerned myself so strongly with the scandals of the past," the other Blondie said to Icarus.

"I believe you tend to keep an air of neutrality about you, Haynes."

Rye standing next to Icarus, of no guilt, had no care in the conversation. But across from him there was the Pet under Haynes' arm.

A smug smile and a throw of the chin. Body language alone, it was saying, "My master loves me and yours doesn't love you."

_What a bitch._ Just as a scoff escaped Rye, Icarus' arm snuck around him and pushed him close. The unexpected strength knocked Rye a bit, and he caught his balance on the side of Icarus' chest.

To that, the owner initiating such contact made Haynes' Pet grimace.

Icarus' eyes darted from the Pet and back to make proper eye contact with Haynes.

"Not so much that. Most of us are too busy to truly pay much mind to the squabbles of Pets. Not in bad faith, you have my concerns should such events occur again," Haynes continued.

"If you have any doubts on my capability to handle this incident, I keep track of surveillance feeds in Eos as well. I have evidence that your Pet was the instigator of this encounter."

"Then no need. It eases to know your association with Orphe seems to be better, Silbert as well."

Icarus gave a slight tilt of the head in nescience.

"Two of your staunchest critics, formerly as it seems now," Haynes elaborated.

"I see. Let no quarrel among Pets come between brothers?"

Haynes seemed to be startled by the usage of the word "brother". He paused, and ultimately gave half-hearted agreement.

After Haynes left, Icarus noticed Rye made light budges most likely in attempt to free himself.

Releasing Rye on a brief note, Icarus said, "That was everything short of involving the police. Stay within those bounds."

In turn, Icarus took his leave, leaving Rye as an incredulous bystander to the conversation.

Two nigh if not impossibly handsome androids, and Rye was pressed against one's chest and held under its arm. Not unabashed, he stayed silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3-5 are being finished. But something about them tells me they should be released all in the same timeframe as Chapter 6. 
> 
> The next Part--- or next four chapters, at least--- is undergoing finalization. It's a pivotal part I don't want to regret any part of.


	3. Flashback

Another day late afternoon, Rye waited in the lobby of Icarus' residence. Sitting on the plush couch of fine, unwrinkled synthetic fibers, he tapped his finger on the armrest.

"What's taking him?"

Tyler passed by. Always busied by tasks regardless of how menial, he held a stack of laundry.

"Sir, it's an hour before the event. Lord Icarus has to fulfill high standards of appearance."

Rye scoffed. "What more does the guy have to do."

Elsewhere Icarus stood in front of the mirror. The drawer counter had an excess of accessories for him to decorate himself with. No shortage of rings, though one customarily was enough.

He put one on then looked down on his hands wrapped in fine white gloves and banded by a precious alloy with a glistening sheen. It didn't seem right. Without much care he tossed the ring back in the jewelry box among the others. They looked nice, but none of these were things he bought and wore for himself.

"What would they say," Icarus thought, "If I attended with him?"

Then he recalled with a firmer mind on Iason's style. Individually, Iason was untroubled with making an appearance at important places within Tanagura. With a comb, Icarus brushed one side of his bangs back, having a few shorter locks fall forward. He looked in the mirror again.

The one detail on how he wore his hair was as though it changed his entire face. Icarus pat his hair back to what it was before.

"It's what everyone expects, is it?"

Icarus looked at the ticking clock and had no anticipation for the party.

When he stood as a child, in a crowd of adults, under the distant supervision of his older brothers, Icarus' interactions teetered closer to silent observation than engaged participation. There was an inherent difference, among many, beyond class and origins that alienated himself from both android and human.

No matter the pristine halls that defined Eos' interiors, there was something missing in Eos and Tanagura that hollowed its visitors and citizens no matter how lively or lifelike they were. What presenece he made among social events and partygoers cast him less as an acquaintance or friend and more of a novelty--- the fourteenth born Blondie. If not many even among the privileged had the chance to see one, then meeting one as a juvenile was a chance that didn't appear in many lifetimes.

Many saw him as a potential angel investor for business ventures. There was no doubts in Jupiter's creations, but as they saw, intelligence could only do so much to cover for inexperience. The shortsighted opportunism trademark to such pitches were no less obvious to him then as it were now; however, still there were limits for what a child was to know.

Tiring of unshared laughter and jokes that the adults hushed themselves from continuing in his presence, Icarus saw two other juveniles among the attendants that at least weren't aged three times his years. Naturally, he strayed off and approached them.

Walking past Orphe, the latter held a wine glass supervising the event and was in the middle of a conversation with Raoul.

"All the pets look dressed on such short notice," Orphe dismissed. "It's apalling really."

When Icarus approached two girls, their proximity faded the initial impression of relatability. Concave waist, widened hip, they appeared in their later teens, though standing shorter than him and still having closer ties to adolescence than adulthood.

With a hand stuck out for a handshake, he said, "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Both of the girls looked puzzled, but one weakly gripped his hand in uncertainty and allowed her hand to be swayed in the handshake.

"Acquaintance?" she said, a little confused on the syllables.

Neither of them were familiar with the word.

"Indubitably," Icarus affirmed himself. "To meet and not yet be friends."

"Indubitably---" the other girl giggled in a way that would've teetered any other boy's confidence--- "Another big word!"

_What's with them?_ Icarus dispelled his disbelief for now. "I prefer not to put on a contrived display of my vocabulary. Such words for ordinary use is rather superfluous."

Despite the casual meeting, even tiring of paper thin vocabularies and topics of discussion as well, one boy entertaining a few girls sent the wrong signals to the jealous reaction of an older boy who still stood shorter.

"Get away from her," he yapped.

Icarus knew well his place in the world and it wasn't to yield to any other. But who these adolescents were became apparent as the boy boasted of the jeweled collar around his neck as though it were a sign of status. Rolling his head to the side and a neck stuck out for emphasis, and a finger pointing to. A luxury good that could only be afforded by the other residents in Eos and no less precious as a gift, but nonetheless, the marker of subservience.

"I have one and you don't," the boy pettily bragged.

Icarus stood silently and didn't dignify any of the boy's actions.

"You got hearing problems?"

The boy resorted to shoving, but before the shove could land, it was stopped by an unseen hand. A security android decloaked and revealed itself. Despite the situation being more of misundestanding than of malice, the guard apprehended the boy. Then the adults came.

Orphe sighed. "Children and Pets can make a terrible combination."

As it became obvious, to the Pets in Eos, it wasn't the collar that represented their binds to a higher power; ignorantly, instead it was youthful age while all their masters had been adults. No Pet's tenure lasted forever--- what future they sought for themselves past the age they were young and wanted, Icarus doubted.

Icarus glanced again at the clock.

"Only five minutes passed," he sighed.

* * *

Rye held two data slates together as data copied over. The older slate, after looking up the production serial, was a model that was older than he was.

"How bored does a guy have to be to have nothing but books on a data slate," Rye commented on the file systems. _It can't be a guy from Midas._

Whoever the previous owner was defied the stereotype of the floozy funseeker with money and more to spend. A data slate told a lot about a person and their interests just by what was on there. The older slate was good as new and hardly personalized beyond electronic literature.

"Let's go," Icarus interrupted.

Rye jumped reflexively before he turned.

Icarus' current attire was "opposite" to his day-to-day wear. Ordinarily, dressed in white, simple elegance, he now wore black decorated by fancy embroidery. Splashes and curls accompanied the trims of the body suit, from the collar down the central zipper.

"The party." Icarus gestured to the door and didn't pause to start walking. "Come to the elevators with me."

Rye caught the timestamp on the corner of the slate just as he set them down and caught up. _What a real go-getter. We still have 30 minutes._

In the gravity elevator, descending from the top of the tower, the sky grew distant as the lower floors floated up and out of sight.

"A party is it? Androids hold parties?" Rye pondered.

He thought back to the slums for a bit.

No matter how run down of a dump a bar was, groups of men celebrated their shared birthdate. Regardless of other differences, they had a distant bond over their batch and generation. The day carried both the simply joys of childhood and the bitter sting of eviction. High and low of emotion, they cheered, got drunk, publicly paired, passed out, and would wake the next morning either collapsed outside or missing belongings.

Rye looked at Icarus.

The classy android stood silently as though there was a world apart from Ceres' sloppy celebrations. Icarus held a blank expression with what is at most a slight frown.

_Doesn't look like he's looking forward to fun._ Rye shrugged. _Not much of a partygoer myself._

Most of Rye's former blockmates assumed he died shortly after eviction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2020/01/22 - Revised chapter for smoother transition from chapter to chapter. Added roughly +500 words.


	4. Discrepancy

In a room like a large dining hall, not unlike the distinctions between man and animal, the elites held themselves in a different section from that of the Pets. The latter guided by labels and leads, but the former clustered by the inclination of the crowds. No formal rules for segregation, but the lack of physical barriers did little to dilute the social order between the ranks of Tanagura.

No one from outside of Eos for tonight, but Icarus stood solitary before he was approached by Haynes and Hubert.

"Icarus, how nice of you to finally attend these events," Haynes greeted. "You needn't be a stranger. We'd all thought you'd be more interested since you've been of age."

Icarus remained reticent.

"Icarus, I understand your situation, but you realize there is no shame in preferring a male regardless of its constitution?" Hubert said.

"What's the story with this one? Has the previous mongrel been found and frozen?" Haynes asked.

"Not quite the case," Icarus said before moving on elsewhere.

He walked over to Silbert sitting alone on a couch.

"Oh my, another slum mongrel in Eos, Icarus," Silbert facetiously despaired before dropping the tone. "At least it appears to be housebroken this time."

"Speaking of which, Silbert, do you recognize him?" Icarus gauged.

"Yes. It bears more than a strong semblance to the previous one, Riki. Were you hoping for yet another replay?"

"How about a time before that?"

"Hmm?"

"Surely, you recall."

"I'm not in the habit of making acquaintances with mongrels, Icarus. I wouldn't know any other."

_Strange. It shouldn't be an issue for Silbert to recall events from that time period._

"None of the alleles in the gene pool of Guardian offered the phenotype," Raoul joined. "I believed it to be a mutation, but what luck in that it appears once again."

"I surmise you aren't submitting it for breeding, Icarus," Silbert said expectantly.

"Correct."

"Figures. You must be aspiring to be the exclusive owner of a rare phenotype."

_Orphe. Orphe should be able to say something on this._

* * *

Rye sat at a separate section with the other Pets. He saw one other Pet before, and didn't expect one sample to indicate much of the rest. The designed beauty they were often described to have was actually underwhelming.

All the Pets' faces with concession were aesthetic, but converged to a single standard. Amongst some, that ideal was so blindly pursued in their breeding or manufactuering to the point of caricature. The similarities between each other bordered familial semblance if not for the outrageously wide range of skin, hair, and eye colors.

Rye wasn't actually any worse looking by comparison, but his non-conforming and natural appearance stood him out like a raven among tropical songbirds. The most modestly dressed out of all of them and with natural, unsuppressed masculinity, he sat amongst effeminate if not female humanoids.

Sitting at curved couches arranged to a tight circle, only twelve others besides Rye sat at it. Across from him, he noticed the Pet that had started shit with him the other day in the gardens. It shot a glare at him as it whispered into the ear of another Pet.

Rye cast his own look of annoyance back.

"I really don't see what he sees in you," a Pet in one of the opposite couches gave a smug giggle barely covered by her hand--- a young girl with lavender hair in a bob and cerulean eyes that shone like starlight on the seas. She sat with a group of others like the queen bee of the clique.

"Sure. You don't see. I can live with that," Rye completely unaffected.

"Don't think you can talk down to me like that because you're a Blondie's Pet. All of us here are and mine's Head of Syndicate," she hissed.

"Yeah! Don't talk to Liliana like that," another sitting next to her rebuffed.

_Psh._ Rye didn't bother to waste any more words.

A Pet from another circle approached Rye. A tone soaked in envy, it said, "How did _you_ get to be a Blondie's Pet?"

"What's it to you?"

"I'm pureblooded and you aren't even listed with a breed," it exclaimed pointing to one of the displays hung on the wall near the couches.

Rye turned and saw a thirteen row chart filled with simple icons bordering on nonsense. He inferred the black rectangle--- a reference to his hair and clothing color--- with empty columns cells was representing him.

"So?" Rye's disinterested answer.

He didn't bother to face the Pet in conversation until now. Behind the Pet was a black haired android with hand on hip and a stern expression.

"Luka!" The android scolded and yanked the Pet's collar. "Excuse us," he said to Rye as he took his leave and Luka away.

Shortly after Rye turned back to mind his own business, a posse of Pets walked over.

"Hey, you sure you're at the right place?"

"Cris, this can't be a Blondie's Pet. I bet Lara was just lying," another indiscretely whispered and giggled.

"Not all that hot, are you?" Cris, androgyne male and nearly naked if not for straps, sneered and pointed at Rye's vest--- which covered the torso from the chest down--- and long pants.

_Screw it, I don't need this noise._ Rye walked off to isolate himself from this crowd.

"Don't you ignore us!" a female voice called from behind.

Rye didn't bother turning back. "Fuck off."

Leaving the conversation as is, between his shoulderblades he felt what amounted to a soft thud. It was a punch that barely distinguished itself from a pummel delivered by a masseuse.

Rye turned with annoyance unintentionally marking the unspoken formality of a fight, though he thought the matter was too petty. Seeing the one who threw the punch at him, voice collided with expectations. A male body that fought in futility against maturation and the passage of time, but if it wasn't for the broad flat chest, Rye would've assumed this individual with a slim body and a soft face was a girl.

* * *

"What a blanched look upon your face, Raoul," Silbert sneered. "Had a slum mongrel won so badly over your recommendation?"

Raoul, ignoring Silbert's remark, saw elsewhere in the party Icarus had approached Orphe, on a curved couch, in the company of Gideon and Aisha.

"Icarus," Orphe nonchalantly welcomed. "What an expected surprise. You've nearly acquired the same exact mongrel as the last time."

"Is the last time the only time you recall?"

"Pardon?"

"A time before Ceres was founded, maybe?"

"I haven't the faintest idea."

_Orphe too? Why don't either of them remember?_

Icarus' eyes incidentally wandered and met with Aisha's, wordlessly spectating their conversation. Blue eyes, but hostile like an abyss--- like light of a shredded star orbiting an event horizon, Aisha gave a directed stare.

"Your transgression," as if he stated with no charity for warnings--- the piercingly cold gaze.

"I suppose you can't blame Icarus too much." Gideon shrugged. "The Pet market hasn't the variety it used to."

Orphe with a tinge of disappointment in his voice, "Pity it had to be a slum mongrel to fill the order. If the last one was submitted for breeding, then a more respectable pedigree with the same phenotype could be offered."

"Even so," Gideon lightly chuckled. "I don't think the trending body types would be satisfactory for him."

Both Orphe and Gideon noticed Icarus had been divested from the conversation.

Orphe sighed. "Icarus, don't tell me you intend to be coy about this at a public event. Your Pet is completely juxtaposed amongst the others."

_Coy?_ Icarus frowned.

The hard clanks of glass dropping shook the room, and many eyes were drawn to a sudden stumble of limbs.

On the ground was the Pet that provoked a fight with Rye, though Rye didn't actually do much. Yanking his aggressor off balance after catching a punch, an overall low effort measure of self-defense, was enough. It idly laid on the ground with empty wine glasses rolling about.

Rye paid no other mind, and walked over to an empty couch.

"Quaint. Even if we omitted its heritage, it still causes commotion," Silbert commented.

"Hardly a brawl," Gideon sat back into the couch.

"I'm content to have the party end on an 'uneventful' note," Raoul said, to Gideon.

Icarus left and walked over to Rye.

Rye sensed an approach from a figure of authority and assumed the nature of the visit. "Whatever. He's barely hurt."

He turned and saw it was Icarus coming to sit beside him.

Icarus without a word swung an arm around Rye and slid him close.

"What are you---" Rye objected.

Taciturn, Icarus' gloved hand combed Rye's hair and drifted downwards. Silk touched the neck, collarbone, and chest. He was treating Rye not different at all from a pet.

Rye glanced around to see if this was a scene being made, and it was. From the Pet table, all the heads in the circle of unmoving peers were turned at him in envy. Some Pets in Eos were used for voyeuristic purposes only, and they stared on in silent outrage over the special attention Rye was receiving from his owner.

Realizing what Icarus was doing, Rye smirked at the Pets' expense. He further leaned on to fan the flames of their anger.

"Such a good boy." Icarus whispered. The zipper on Rye's vest undone, Icarus stroked the toned abdomen on Rye that every other Pet lacked. Fingers lightly nudged the valley between each pack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 5 and 6 are being edited. There is a Chapter 7 which hopefully concludes the first "third" of Part 3.


	5. Party Drinks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because of how Chapter 7 turned out. I did a slight edit to Chapter 4. The addition was to the 4th scene (chunk of text after the divider).

# Party Drinks

A servitor android passed by to deliver drinks.

"About time! I was starting to wonder what kind of party had no food or drinks," Rye remarked.

Icarus only turned to observe Rye helping himself to a glass.

Once Rye took a sip, his vision blurred, and his head bobbed and swayed. _What the fuck? Just one sip?!_

The next thing he felt was as if his blood vessels carried oil and were lit ablaze. To the contrary, his limbs shuddered and flashed with chills. Not caring anymore about balance, and just wanting to lie down, Rye fell to the floor.

"What? What's happened to him?" Icarus said.

Gideon walked over.

"That is nothing I haven't seen before, Icarus," he lectured.

"Then explain."

"Is our Chief of Information unaware of what's in the drinks?" Gideon's brow rose.

"I have more important matters to investigate than the contents of party drinks."

Gideon handed Icarus a glass with a smile on his face. "Perhaps you could solve this mystery on the spot, if party drinks are so trivial."

Icarus gave a glance to the Pet section. The same drinks, but half-empty--- the other Pets stopped paying any attention to Rye and simply conversed among each other.

"Gideon," Aisha said. "You'd have to be awfully bored to suggest such a thing."

"Startling at first, but harmless fun, is it not?"

Orphe joined, "Fear not, Icarus. There is no poison."

 _Harmless fun,_ Icarus skeptically thought.

Dismissing themselves early from the party, Icarus supported Rye home to the guestroom. He set Rye on the guest bed unsure of whether or not to call medical, but now Rye's feverish agony appeared to have subsided to a waned consciousness.

In one hand, Icarus held one of the wine glasses distributed by servitor androids, given to him by Gideon, and gave it a contemplative glance. No disclosure on what it contained. But there was no way a body model on the cutting edge of technology would suffer the same consequences as flesh and blood. Icarus took a sip.

_This must be ordinary wine._

And as far as he could tell, virtually nothing happened.

Just as Icarus set down the glass on the nightstand, he heard a scuffle of fabric from Rye. Rye's hand was approaching his crotch, which Icarus intercepted.

"Were you really?" Icarus dryly said.

Another hand made an attempt and again it was intercepted.

"Fuck. Let go."

Icarus sighed.

"Look. you can volunteer yourself for this or leave me alone," Rye struggled to free his hands.

Being told this at his own residence, by his own personal property--- however indignance slid past Icarus. Up close, with his own eyes, and beneath him-- an adult male body with every cue of fitness. For a reason Icarus didn't entirely understand, something was fascinating about Rye's body and he attempted to attribute reason.

_Because it was strength that went under duress to be trained despite of its obsolescence and inferiority._

No?

_Because it was a human body thus beholden to no other party than itself._

No?

Icarus just needed one hand to pin down both of Rye's. With his free hand, he had been shrouding his mouth at the sight of Rye's body. With a concession to self-control, he had the idea to just feel the musculature of Rye's torso and nothing more.

Starting at the abdomen, Icarus' hand slid upward. He didn't pay much mind to Rye's squirming until his hand was chest level and brushed against a nipple. That alone was enough to cause Rye to gasp and tangle his legs around Icarus'.

Icarus shifted his weight to his other arm and made the light attempt to first free his hand from Rye, but fingers of the pinned hands wove with his. Very shortly after Icarus was tackled.

"Fucking tease," Rye panted and sat on top of Icarus.

He grabbed the collar of Icarus' raiments and yanked repeatedly. Pulling on the cloth to the extent it'd allow, Rye started to feel the onset of fatigue and strain on his fingers and forearms. The intricate design and embroidery, somehow, had a dizzying effect as though he looked at both a mirage and an optical illusion. Not a spiral, but he had a descent to confusion and muddy thoughts.

Icarus looked puzzled at Rye's repetitive attempts.

Nano-reinforced fibers--- light, malleable, and comfortable like ordinary fabric, but tear resistant, and durable like a plate of steel. No human--- raging mongrel or otherwise--- was going to manage to force off such clothes.

An unarmed human virtually posing no threat, Icarus got up and pushed Rye back down.

"What do you want?" Icarus interrogated.

"Take off your clothes," Rye's hands clutched Icarus' shoulders.

Everything was getting worse for Rye by the second. Not hit so hard to have a suppressed consciousness, but the real effects ticked in hard. Heating up, almost to the point of wanting to cool down, but driven by a strong desire to make further contact with another warm body. Biting his lip; just having Icarus looming over and pinning him down shallowed his breath to gasps with faint moans croaking between.

The Blondie's face was getting close, and Rye could feel the android slowly breathing, with a lock or two of soft hair landing upon his chest and drifting down.

Icarus stopped with a hug around Rye's legs to a brief idle. His cheek squished against Rye's abdomen.

_Authentic skin... this is still just touching him..._

He turned his face towards and lightly planted his lips on a pack, then started compulsively issuing light bites, reddening the skin between teeth and tongue.

The taller and heavier android sank Rye deeper into the bed, wedging him between a hard body and the bed that further resisted more downward force. A body overly receptive to sensations, Rye arched back and exposed his neck.

"Stop. Playing. Around," Rye raised his hip against Icarus.

"You wanted me to remove my clothes?" Icarus stopped and pushed himself up. A little peeved, he asserted, "Why should I fulfill such a request from an obstinate mongrel such as yourself."

Looking down, Icarus saw that his clothes were still stubbornly tugged on by Rye. Icarus then put his hands on Rye's vest.

Rye's vest was tossed aside.

_He must be getting uncomfortably warm anyways._

Despite the little insulation the vest provided, cool air on newly exposed skin was enough to make Rye gasp. Removing the vest didn't reveal much more, but the sight of a completely bare torso had a strange allure. Rye's arms above his head, Icarus saw the serratus anterior, previously hidden by a vest, coating Rye's ribcage.

There was a certain style that long black pants had. With innate curiosity, Icarus internally debated whether bared legs would look better. Icarus' fingers curled over the rim of Rye's pants.

Rye's pants were tossed aside.

Self-admittedly, Icarus thought there was a nice contrast between Rye's skin and the dark colors from the pants, but the compromise revealed detail of the well-trained thighs that struck a balance between speed and endurance. The remaining undergarment, however, covering what little left to hide, appeared uncharacteristically sultry and indecent to the overall picture...

Rye was now completely unclothed.

"Better," Icarus whispered to himself. He stared down and held hand to chin as though he gazed upon artwork and natural innocence.

Icarus seemed to have gone somewhere as far as Rye knew. Throughly brow beat into passivity by the drink, Rye laid on the bed with his arm crossed over his face.

"Never," Rye nudged his arm to brush the sweat off his brow, "Drinking that shit again."

There was the chill of sweat and cool air. Rye laid on his side and his shoulder sank into the bed. He nudged against the bed for warmth and expected everything would go back to normal the next morning. Rye then felt a large warm body cover him entirely. Underneath the soft surface of synthetic skin was the hard robotic imitations of muscle and bone.

Icarus bound Rye, arms including, in a hug. Nuzzling Rye's neck, Icarus felt the gentle bump of each pulse. Air filled Rye's lungs, expanded his chest to press further against Icarus', withdrew, and repeated. There was a busy rhythm of life. Icarus pressed his cheek against Rye's and held tighter. Self-assured that Rye was in no position to pounce again, Icarus didn't mind Rye's arms budging to be freed nor Rye's wandering hand.

Rye's hand then approached Icarus' crotch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2019/12/02: Major revision. I still have the file for the original version, if someone, for whatever reason prefers that.
> 
> _____________
> 
> As an experiment, I gave an exerpt of a draft to a neural network (a real life one, not the one in Ai no Kusabi), and I got AI generated yaoi. (lol)  
> <https://gnusocial.no/notice/5341008>


	6. Ghost

Icarus woke the next morning. Next to him was Rye, sprawled on the bed with every cue of complete exhaustion. One of Icarus arms banded around Rye's waist, and his hand rested on Rye. His other hand was being held. Rye's remaining free hand was tangled in Icarus' hair.

"Good morning," Tyler walked in, "my lord.

"Shall I cool the wine?"

Icarus rose. His native sense said his head was light and could be blown in the wind, but his ancillary nervous systems strongly disagreed and reported he weighted the same as usual.

"No, pour it out," he said, "and have two glasses of water prepared."

Tyler gave a bow and left with the wine glass.

Icarus laid back down with his face besides Rye's and closed his eyes. He issued a command to his ancillary nervous system to start the day semi-autonomously.

Rye's eyes creaked open: half-lidded, and bobbing closed and open.

Icarus, back turned for a bare minimum of privacy, had gotten up, and clothed his legs. Android attire seemed simple at a glance. However, Icarus' arms moved as though his hards wove around cloth and heavily implied that the unseen inner layer was more intricate than the outer. Icarus then left the room.

"There's no way an ordinary guy could drink that shit and get up like that," Rye thought to himself.

He laid on the bed as though his head was struck by a mallet.

Shortly after, Tyler returned.

"Sir, I have orders to assist in whatever ways necessary to start your day."

"Great," Rye said unenthused, "But I don't think this is an ordinary hangover."

He turned to Tyler and saw a single tall glass of water. _Where the hell is the other glass?_

In the living room, Icarus sat on a couch. With his thoughts to himself, the ancillary nervous system making a rare mental presence tapped the site of a healed grevious wound.

A bad memory.

An uneventful sterile white room was painted like a canvas by sensory hallucinations. A new visible spectrum of light was granted by occular enhancements. The initializing systems omitted color data at first, then gradually introduced each wavelength until the full pallette was represented. But a mind unacclimated to artificial nerves saw blotches of a distorted world.

Dead static blanketed and stung every corner of his body like he was a ghost drifting through a storm cloud in the sky. Cold metal wires punctured flesh, coursed along side vein and bone, then hung him in air like a puppet.

"I monitor your brain activity," Raoul stepped into view bordered by chromatic aberrations. His expertise was not born from altruism and his voice remained impassive. "I'm certain this would help your current predicament."

He took a mouth mirror from his inner coat pocket and pointed to Icarus. It revealed a reflection that grounded an abstract conscious experience and dispelled the illusion of disembodiment.

Icarus saw he was on a medical bed and modestly covered by a white sheet. His face, body, and every key detail remained the same including the parts he assumed Jupiter wouldn't consider necessary anymore. There was a familiar look, but also a feel of an entirely foreign body.

"I know you're paralyzed," Raoul continued, "Your symptoms end when your brain acclimates to your new nervous system."

What little compassion Raoul had started to dry as his word closer resembled priorities of an unsympathetic taskmaster.

"You have one month for recovery. Afterwards, you have your inauguration and duties to fulfill."

_Too little time._

"The world expects the end of your long absence."

...

Icarus looked down to his now empty cup.

_I don't think this is helping._

He set the glass down and walked over to the dining area.

At the breakfast table, Rye slumped at his chair, leaned on the table, and buried his face in his arms.

"This bullshit is just as bad as thet tranquilizers Midas," he groaned.

His eyes were open enough to see pockets of light flee, but the shuffling sizzles and pops from the stove never stopped. The one who stood in beside him was none other than Icarus.

Rye greeted with a rant, "Had fun at the damn party?"

"I don't look forward to attending again."

"That makes both of us."

Icarus gave a small nod with a subtle smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2019/12/13: Major revision and slight extension by ~100 words.


	7. Storm

After the party ended, Raoul spent the rest of the night, looking through the window to the distance. A clear sky, high above in Eos, he saw the stretch of Midas and the border of light and darkness. As though the headway of life and society were blown back, and the barren frontiers encroached on the remains, there was the gap of Midas where there used to be a sector named Harvey.

Over twenty years ago, he saw through the same window and bore witness to an explosion in the distance that lit the night as bright as day and left nothing but charred remains. For undisclosed business, Iason was at Harvey--- while they were many saves medical science offered for the most severe of injuries, there was no return from complete obliteration.

Before the tragedy, his unheeded concerns...

_Jupiter doesn't give second warnings. What if you incur Her wrath?_

To which Iason was confident in his work and being well in the good graces of Jupiter.

_Iason. Your role in Tanagura's ruling syndicate is indispensable. You can't be easily replaced. Without you, Tanagura's whole structure will crumble._

_Listen. Don't even think about doing something as foolish as taking an Achilles' Heel._

To which Iason sternly glared with no intent to continue discussion beyond stating the limits that even Jupiter had to intervene in his private life.

_I flatly refuse to be the one who tampers with your mind._

To which, fully aware of how the situation progressed, even a frown came to Iason's face.

And then time passed.

Arrived to Eos was a gynoid. A bare metal face and with no concession to a human guise, but a body model of no semblance to the standard--- an ornate metal carapace like cloth in the wind and embossed plates of armor. Light danced on her as she walked.

Every resident, elite or guard, knew Who the gynoid embodied and made way. No matter how far they previously stood, all in the tower kneeled with their heads bowed. Carried in her arms was a newborn with nearly white nair hinted of blond, shrouded in a white blanket. She made way from Eos lobby, to the elevators and ascended to the top.

At the Apex Level, the twelve Blondies kneeled expectantly in a semi-circle around the elevator, then rose in order they were approached to meet the reborn.

The first was Aisha, Lord of Tanagura.

The second was Orpheus, Overseer of Eos, within whose domain the child will reside.

The third was Silbert, Chief of Espionage, black to white of the role the child will hold in time.

And so forth.

Then penult was Gideon, Lord of Midas, within whose domain the death occurred.

And last was Raoul, Head of Syndicate, who dual held the title of Chief Biotechnology Specialist and Chief of Information, and in his capacity as the latter role, classified all details regarding Iason's death and denied further investigations.

Then before his eyes, there was the infant with a face in a form unseen in many lifetimes. Sparing only a brief encounter, Jupiter moved on to Iason's residence. As expected, the babe inherited Iason's surname, but the new name She had given left Raoul wondering.

Upon Harvey's destruction, the old equilibrium of his emotional state shattered like sight of eyes that have only seen darkness. As the light from the explosion waned, the consequence and finality of death weighed on his throat. Losing his friend of many lifetimes, and wishing in futility to revert just this moment--- the arrow of time moved forward, and his heart stung. Raoul pulled in his lips, and let go. Ultimately he shed a tear like a drop of rain upon the desert.

Yet he also bore witness to bands of electricity convulse and arch around the buildings as though the city of Tanagura itself was pained by whips of crooked light. But knowing the silent titan, a course of action had also been calculated.

The questions still lingered in Raoul's mind over the years.

_What are You planning?_

_Have You changed?_

And now.

_Does the first warning from twenty years past still stand?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On my outline, I have segments divided up as Part 3a, Part 3b, Part 3c. I'm still undecided whether to split it up as separate works. Between the update for 3b and 3c, there might be a big interval since I want it to be finalized around the same time as the first chapters for Part 4.
> 
> Besides that, I'm typically wondering if the nuance behind the other Blondie's characterizations (Gideons' especially) were noticed.


	8. (Violent Star-rise II) - The Mark

# The Mark

Home on Amoi, but admist an unkind state of affairs--- a mere planet in the sea of stars. The fate of the world was on their word.

A Federation dignitary walked down a hall with Orphe.

"Very kind of you to personally give a tour of Midas, Mr. Zavi," he said with a smile.

"The pleasure is all mine," Orphe said with the elegance a perfect gentleman, but his usual nonchalance and a general detachment. "Jupiter wishes only the best for Amoi's VIP guests."

A simple room that contrasted with the rest of Midas' style--- like Tanagura's, it was lit by guiding twin moonlight, and shadows to a comfortable visibility. A couch, fine refreshments in a modest arrangement at the short legged table, in front of a panorama window with a view of the cityscape.

A field-window that would block most conventional weapons...

Orphe sighed after the dignitary walked out of earshot into room.

"We can discuss the details of the treatise here," Orphe said as he followed in.

"Verily," the dignitary smiled. Greed laid beneath his face like veins beneath skin. "Amoi's founding and prosperity is a very admirable tale."

Orphe listened on with a wine glass in hand.

 _Who did Icarus hire anyways?_ He swiveled the liquid as the dignitary continued. _So long as he doesn't try to come any closer._

Orphe turned to the dignitary. But just as, he noticed a projectile had flown through the field-window. Trajectory unchanged, it continued on course.

In a blink of an eye, the dignitary was disfigured by sheer force of impact. Blood, bone, and brain matter splashed on the couch and trailed behind.

"A bullet---" Orphe spared no other glances and set down his wine glass without drinking--- "What madman still fires such a thing in this day and age?"

Raoul immediately came in with a medical response team.

Orphe, facing the window and arms crossed, sat next to a slumping limp body with a scrambled spillage for a head.

"Surely. Raoul," Orphe said, "Icarus was at the helm of the weather control systems?"

"Let's not split hairs over that," Raoul pointed to a small mess on Orphe's hair.

...

Orphe stood at the desk of his office ending his recount. Fitting for the Overseer of Eos, the placement of window had a view of the rising star and the haze of clouds from the atmosphere. The rays behind him, his office was in his shadow.

Visiting was Silbert.

“Yes. Icarus was meandering about in Midas at the time, was he?” he said.

Orphe breathed out with casual displeasure. "I suppose there is merit on Raoul's part in meddling with a brain in such a condition.

"Unsightly business---" he commented as he sat down, "But how far ahead have these games been thought out?"

* * *

Rooftops, moonlight, and gun metal.

The slow pull of the trigger, and the smoke of gunpowder that ascended and faded. The feeling of a vile mind pelted clean by a rain as though every wrong in the world had been made right. Then the weight of guilt settled in. Every time the call for the job came, Rye rode the high and low of the kill.

A high paying job like gold panned in a river. Bit by bit, he'd fill his vault, and get out of the slums. But even now, he stood on the rooftops of Tanagura. From him, dual moonlight cast two shadows.

Leaning on the guard rail of the building like it were a balcony, Rye saw the city below--- a titan in total darkness broken by the dotted fissures of light from aerocars below. Breathing in deep, he could feel the hit of cold, thin air on his lungs.

A hum of an aerocar engine approached from an adjacent side.

A young man at the driver's seat of the roofless aerocar playfully greeted, "Got your gun."

Violet hair, violet eyes, and looking no older than twenty, he casually leaned at the dashboard among interiors of a matching color theme. In the back seat was a case for a large rifle. Leaving the engine on, he stepped out of the aerocar to the rooftop.

"Gun provided and a ride straight to the site?" Rye said. "Gotta say, it's like being VIP."

"The scope is calibrated for 3500 units, right at the distance you'd be shooting at. I'd concur."

"Are you the one who hired me?"

"No. I'm part of the gig as well." With a courteous smile and a hand extended for a shake, he introduced himself, "The name's Zico. Partners in crime?"

"And the name's Rye," returning the handshake.

With no other spared word, the two got in the aerocar. The partial weight of the car and its passengers lifted in a swoop as it descended and conformed to regular traffic. Reflections of aerocars on multiple lanes and different flows rippled on the dark mirror of the buildings' windows.

Rye looked out as Zico drove.

On another lane in the same flow, there was an android driver--- a metal man wearing office attire not different from that of Midas'. A blank expression of an artificial face, not too unlike a mannequin, the pose was enough to infer or even sympathize it was on route home from a busy day at work.

Rye rolled his eyes a bit.

Zico on the faster lane, the other aerocar lagged behind to the distance.

Rye sat back into his seat and heard the music Zico left on at a moderate volume. Old stuff with an iconic style and virtual instruments from twenty years past, but not any of the ubiquitously played tracks that had the benefits of notorious marketing.

"So, you inherited these tracks like you inherited this car or what?" Rye said.

"Hmm?"

"I mean the clothes, the car," Rye gestured around to the sleek interiors. Violet trims and striking patterns couldn't have been anything less than customized. "Never thought a Midas kid with this sort of stuff ever had to deal with the black market."

"Midas?" Zico's face and voice never changed from courtesy, except his violet eyes seemed to glower in an otherwise innocuous look. "Nier Darts is more my style."

_The total shitpile of buildings of eastern Ceres that everyone else hated._

_Psh._ "How would anyone walk two steps in without coming across a raging cyborg freak on five different drugs?"

"Things aren't always as they seem," Zico seemed endeared. "You should visit some time. Morals being optional seems right up your alley."

"Couldn't tell by looking," Rye smiled. "How's someone from the slums get to own his own aerocar?"

The car stopped at another rooftop of another building. Behind were the lavender wastelands. In the distance and to the inner city were administrative buildings each with their exotic show of arches and curved pillars. Esteemed foreigners walked about as though they were in the city's grasp.

"The world's your oyster if you can find ways to fool security," Zico got out of the car with a portable terminal, "which is precisely my half of the job here."

"Hacker, huh?" Rye went to the gun in the back. "Take a look in a Blondie's head for me some day. I'd like to know what goes on in there."

"I wouldn't say that'd be the correct methodology if one were to try."

A gun in a condition as though it were brand new and a clean scope, set up at the ledge, Rye looked through to the buildings.

A foreign looking old man, with his arm swung around a provocatively dressed teen, walked away from the evening's main event.

_Heh! Federation._

Pointing towards where his mark would be, there was a man and a Blondie android.

_I think I've seen that one around before._

"Time is plenty," Zico said. "If security comes, I have your back."

The scope aligned with the target, and Rye flipped the safety off...

* * *

The blond stood imposingly tall--- a long mane that flowed down like gold streaks on black clothing. Blue eyes, on closer inspection, had a crimson ring capturing the pupil. A young face and a well-warranted hauteur of high authority.

The diplomat tilted his head up to look at the other man in the eye. Back on his planet, the blond would be like an ideal and impossibility. Fine lineage, the headstart of a wealthy family, but none of the spoilage of youthful arrogance. And instead, there was the cooled countenance of a seasoned veteran.

"I'm sorry, Mr. ...?" the diplomat asked.

"Domina," Silbert said. As a casual gesture, he briefly walked away to take a seat.

The diplomat stood like an old man before a divine entity. He remained standing and humbly held this hands together. To best present himself, he cleared his throat, "We at the Federation understand there was no role in Amoi's founding. Our official position remains that Amoi lies in claimed space."

As expected a projectile flew through the field-window.

Out of morbid curiosity, Silbert inspected it intensely as though time slowed. A sharp point and a boat-tail end, it swam through air and would land right above the diplomat's ear. The tip pushed in the side of the head.

The breakage of skin, the skull's shatter.

Then the head's deformation, and the splash of flesh.

Silbert walked over to the corpse lying on the ground.

"Not bad for 3500 units."

On cue, medical androids arrived and started cleaning the vicinity to salvage the corpse down to the last stray brain cell. Raoul entered after them.

"My, another charade of yours," Silbert remarked. "You've ought to be careful. One might start a war over this."

The two blonds gave each other mutually adversarial glares. Two pairs of blue eyes--- one pair with red inner rings and the other slightly green--- both contained a look of daggers.

"Not exactly a matter to be joking over," Raoul said.

Silbert's tone grew more stern, "How long do you intend to keep this up?"

"I should be asking the same question to everyone else," Raoul calmly broke off.

"You're well aware why Aisha declined the deployment of military units for these stunts. So why do you insist on these ploys? Is there something you still withhold from us, former Chief of Information?"

"I assure you these measures aren't without precedence," Raoul walked over and turned his attention to the corpse for a view of the headshot wound. "My reasons remain confidential."

"Is that so? We've kept the lights on and operations running despite unfortunate events," Silbert made way to the door. "My concern is that it all was for naught."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a small blurb: I really can't name things until I'm done with them. The subparts are:
> 
> 3A - Dawning Conflict  
> 3B - Violent Star-rise I  
> 3C - Violent Star-rise II
> 
> Since I decided to keep the entirety of Part 3 as one work, this means putting a new name for Part 3 as a whole.  
> For a while the title "The Past Through Tomorrow" or "The Past Through The Future" as a whole series title floated in my head, but the title would be strangely similar to another scifi (of a pseudo immortal named Lazarus Long).
> 
> The previous parts may receive minor updates, but as error corrections or prose adjustment. The main points remain the same.


	9. Cruel Deity

A look through binoculars, the mark toppled like a ragdoll, fell out of line of sight. Zico gave an impressed whistle at the shot.

"You know, just about everyone would worry you'd hit the Blondie."

"You kidding?" Rye nearly chuckled. "It was sitting way off to the side. No chance I'd miss that badly."

"That about covers it for the job. Are we heading straight to Katze after here?"

"Just drop me off where you picked me up."

"Oh? Nearby Eos?" Zico's violet eyes seemed to gleam with wanting to inquire more.

"You looking for a foot race from Midas back to Katze or what? Can't imagine where you can park your car without getting its windows punched in."

"Never thought a Tanagura kid would have dealings with the black market," Zico winked.

"Like androids ever had kids."

_But who is Zico anyways? He doesn't look like he's from offworld. If he isn't from Midas, then why haven't I seen him at Guardian before?_

* * *

In Eos, on the slow ascent of the elevator to Apex Level, Rye looked up through the outfacing window. Looking down, the ground became more distant as though he were zooming out from the world. The office buildings and skyscrapers of Midas became mere blocks and prisms as each district closer resembled patches of land.

Looking up, the night sky drew closer. The clouds above in the atmosphere blown in the wind like misty waves in an ocean.

"What am I really going back to," Rye thought to himself...

Early morning, a bop into consciousness but his eyes remaining closed, he felt lips and nose bury into his neck and shoulder. Chest pressed against his back, and a heavy arm went over and rested at his waist. Rye was then pulled close against the android.

"Five more minutes," Rye managed to groan, but cracking open his eyes, he saw the dark room and the dim sky of an unrisen star. "Never mind," Rye shut his eyes again, "Three hours."

"Don't you know what you do to me," Icarus' face slid to touch his cheek with Rye's, "When I'm around you, I feel like I can be myself in a way I haven't been.

"I love you, Rye."

The android's hand that covered his closed to intertwine their fingers.

_Was this real or simulated?_

There was unsuspecting day in Eos.

Coming back to Apex Level from the workout rooms for a shower, the elevator doors opened to an unusual occurence. There was Haynes' Pet with hands behind its back in a bind by the guard. To the opposite of being proud and boastful of its master's affection like the day they met, it now was sobbing with its head bowed down. Behind the curtain of hair, its face was scrunched, reddened, and damp with tears. Without a word, the security guard stood aside to make way for Rye to exit.

As he passed by, Rye maintained a stare at guard escorting the Pet into the elevator. From then on, he never saw that Pet again whether it was the Pet Salon or anywhere else in Eos. At social gatherings, the second and third change in the roster later followed. Of the twelve other Pets he'd sit with--- begrudgingly--- at events, even if he had made friends with any of them, it was getting obvious that there'd come a time he wouldn't see them anymore.

Another day, from an upper floor, and trotting around the perimeter, Rye looked down at the grand lobby of Eos. Recognizing the exact shade of blond, he saw Haynes hanging around white haired androids. Not unlike the day in the gardens, the Blondie held under its arm another Pet.

The elevator stopped.

Rye looked at the doors which remained shut. The elevator was at the thick of clouds; the window, covered in a grey shroud. Dismissing this as a simple glitch, Rye walked over to the panel and pressed the button for Apex Level again. Which did nothing.

No matter what he did, the button never dimmed on a press nor did it trigger a feedback ring. Not even the emergency help button.

"Shit," he said under his breath.

The ground was a long ways down. If the elevator dropped, there was no bargaining to chance that he'd survive the fall.

Rye pulled out his personal data slate to call emergency services, Icarus, or just anyone at a time like this. He pressed the power button to wake the device from hibernation. When the dim screen would lit, he'd expect a systemic greeting, the friendly interface, his custom set background image, and a few favorite files.

Instead, the device remained dim for a longer time then woke, on-screen, with a triad of red irises staring back at him.

Rye jumped back, and just as the elevator started moving.

On its own accord, it rode downward at a safe pace.

"At least its not a drop," Rye sighed.

The ground came closer and the minute textures of the buildings and aerocars enlarged as he lost sight of the sky. The patch of green that was the Arboreteum of Midas, became a cluster of trees with a visible collection of branches and individual leaves. And the horizon withdrew from the wastelands to the cityscape to barely beyond the closest district.

There came a floor, that even if the elevator were to drop, the fall would no longer be lethal; however when the ground floor was reached, the elevator sank him to the dark subterranean levels.

The elevator stopped.

The usual ring that notified it reached its destination was innocently irrespective of the context. When the elevator doors opened, Rye froze and blood drained from his face.

Cold sweat.

The crowd at his exit was a squad of military androids. Like a murder of crows--- dark uniform the same designs of the unidentified division that forced his jump from a building during his job at Midas a long while back. The close look at the androids, though a humanoid silhouette, these weren't standard civilian models conscripted into the force. And instead with an appearance to maximize fear and intimidation, and thoroughly telegraph the death and destruction they were specialized to cause.

Rye rose both his hands to the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long hiatus with updates. I got busy. This chapter has the worst kind of cliffhanger to leave readers hanging on, so the next chapter is getting finalized soon (at worst, within a week). I'm also going to make some corrections to the previous chapters as many errors have been caught. One chapter (for now) might get a revision beyond corrections.


	10. Human Error III / Nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, if you imagine a data slate as something like a smartphone, Rye has been pressing Icarus against his thigh. A touchscreen might add some levels of weird. Leaves fun speculation why Riki getting one from Iason was a "hard fought concession".
> 
> The title Human Error III is because of a certain detail across multiple chapters (Human Error I and II).

Orbited by streams of data and at the neural interface, Icarus felt the feed of various computing systems around Amoi.

Two foreigners equipped with personal computing devices on their wrists were talking. They stood by a panorama window and looked towards Midas, the shining city. From where they stood, they were certainly at Parthea.

"It truly is pathetic," one of them said. "A planet where man has no control over his own destiny."

"Indeed, sir," the other concurred and had a heavier influence of a Federation planet on his voice, "Especially to revere a machine as a god. It truly is a stain on the galaxy."

"It makes me question what's worse: mankind with no concept or desire for liberty, or that machine tyrant," the man turned away from the window seemingly to retire for the night. "By the way, schedule a return flight for next morning."

"Next morning? The trade conference is tomorrow."

"The others can attend in my place", the man waved off in disinterest. "The lot of them are more than willing to toss their signatures left and right."

Icarus tilted his head at the scene, and their devices among many shifted out of his focus. Data from various devices flowed in and out for him to compile information, but one device remained as like a steady rock unmoved in the current.

Rye's data slate had touch sensors that reported body heat and a global positioning system module that tracked location. Icarus felt he was still with Rye, even if Rye wasn't physically present. Tonight proceeded as planned until Rye's data slate stopped feeding data.

Rye was in Eos and ascending on the elevator at the time. Icarus waited on the door of his own residence with an persistent hope that he'd hear Tyler welcome Rye home.

_Where is he? If he was just in Eos, he can't have gone far by now._

* * *

Darkness before him, and the light behind, at the front of an open cell door, the android soldier shoved handcuffed Rye in to a fall. Afterwards, the metallic door had the loud clank of being shut.

"No fucking android like that should be playing cop," Rye twisted his torso as he tried the cuffs on his wrist.

He dipped his finger into his back pocket for a shim. Bending his wrist and probing for the teeth of the cuffs, he found the jaw and jammed it. The cuffs slid loose and his hands were free.

"I'm finally caught for the shit I've done?" Rye said. "Just my fucking luck when the hacker isn't here."

Standing up in total darkness, he felt around the cell. As he moved, heat sapped from his palm and the ring on his finger clinked against the metal wall. He moved around the perimeter until he felt what couldn't have been anything other than the door.

The cell door opened to a brief blind of light.

"What the?! Zico?"

Taking his chances Rye ran out, but in the lenses of the many security cameras, there was the prisoner making his escape.

Stair access, ground floor, and a marathon of a run back to Ceres, he planned as he ran. But he had to wonder and realize: if crossing the border to Ceres was a home run from Midas law enforcement, then what's truly the case for Tanagura's military forces.

Down halls of a place he never seen in Eos before--- a vague thematic semblance but a completely different style--- passing laser-etched walls looking like a cross of woven metal and a crystalline cavern. Translucent surfaces, blue lights from computing systems and trims almost made entire surfaces appear as massive inlaid sapphires with an ethereal chromatic aura.

A glory of cold composure to no extravagance, but a fervored reverence that spared no expense. Whatever the androids built this place for, there was no accomodation or facilities for life. No trace of organic grime, all synthesized platings were as though they were freshly forged.

Rye came across a hallway where at the end was the door to stair access. Renewed hope fueled the stamina in his legs. He ran, one foot in front of the other, each action in hyperfocus as his milestone approached arm's length.

All lights in the hall shut off.

"Fucking bitch!" Rye's sprint stopped with a hard push against the unresponsive electronic door. From behind it, he could still see light through the glass.

There was the clack of footsteps that weren't his own.

A slow approach like an android's bad joke at human night vision.

In the same building, in another room, Icarus wore a ceremonial cuirass over formal robes. A hall of pure metal and the aural reverberation of colossal processing power--- he was a man before a deity in the tower that was Amoi's megalith of computing.

"Not a dream," Icarus said under his breath.

He stepped toward the retinal scanner, a glass sphere like an eye, that awaited on the platform. The retinal scan descended upon Icarus' forehead then the nosebridge between two eyes and split. Upon confirmation, it clicked, and the platform rose.

The chamber at the top was the size of a colosseum and small lights embedded in the walkways guided the path towards the center. As Icarus stepped forth, two holographic storms were produced from the ceiling and floor and converged into a single form. A set of three red eyes like a glare of daggers stabbed the mist of light. Holograms, like a show of divine light, Icarus stared a split second too long.

As though the weight of his cuirass and his body multiplied, he dropped to the ground in the pose of a kneel. He could still see, breathe, and hear, but it were as though his brain were disconnected from the rest of his body, from the head down.

_She's angry. This isn't good._

From the corners of his eyes, he saw Her talons surround him.

* * *

Once again, an android soldier escorted Rye, this time bringing him before two Blondie androids. Rye recognized one of them from Midas.

"Well, if it isn't our vagrant," Gideon commented. "You've tread freely on restricted grounds long enough."

Gideon had everything the other androids lacked when communicating. Lively, easy going, but with the mocking nuance of casually tossing salt in the wounds of a caught trouble maker.

"This isn't right," Rye thought to himself, "it's almost like it's human."

Precision tuned facial gestures and vocal inflections--- maybe the Blondie bought itself top of the line programming, maybe it was old enough to have learned a personality, maybe it was young enough to be a new model. If it was in the same brunet getups as Icarus, it would've been entirely inconspicuous as opposed to the walking mannequins most other androids were.

The accompanying Blondie, however, was another outlier. Despite the youthful face and meeting the high standards of appearance common to all Eos androids, it had an ominous presence not of an android, but of a standing corpse. No matter the ambient lights that reflected from its blue eyes, it had a cold, hollow stare.

"What are you looking at," Rye retorted.

The android solder restraining Rye, forced Rye's arm outward to show the ring on hand. On it, the Blondie's eyes locked on and focused.

"His ID," Aisha said to Gideon, "We can rule out a malfunction in the security systems."

Gideon chuckled and covered his mouth. Aisha remained unmoved.

"It appears there's been a little mix up and for all that's happened in Midas," Gideon said. "Do tell, Aisha"--- Gideon grew a wry smile--- "If the mongrel wears a ring on its hand, where do you suppose Icarus is wearing his?"

"You'd send soldiers after your own brother?" Rye scoffed.

"Not an accurate description of the matter," Aisha said before issuing an order to the android. "Return him to detainment and guard his cell."

Both Blondies turned away and parted from Rye and the soldier.

"Icarus never retired that word, did he?" Gideon gossipped as he left earshot.


	11. Space and Time Between I

There were towers of Tanagura that pierced the skies, like the one I was in. The atmospheric platform at the aerospace port was where spaceships and aeroshuttles launched and landed.

The elevator rides were a spectacle. Going up to see the ground grow distant, and knowing that above and beyond was the exosphere--- the sight of diffused starlight from the planet, darkness of immense heaven, and the world's halo as the border between two realms.

The indoors had colorful crowds of tourists from various cultures. Similarly, confection stands and restaurants ready to sate both hunger and impulse had the same vibrance. However, I wasn't so lucky to be free from the pull of the planet.

I walked towards the elevator. All crowds afforded a wide berth for the squad of security androids that accompanied my every move. As usual, I pressed a button for the top sector. The same response as always was "access denied". It, like all systems, recognized my biometrics, and the compromise was the second highest set of floors from where spaceships could still be seen launching.

Upon my return home, as a result there would be a usual routine. There'd be Raoul as the voice of concern.

"Icarus, what were you doing at the space port?"

"I wanted to see the shuttles launch."

Say any more and there would've been an unwanted debate.

Virtually absent during my childhood, he appeared more frequently on the ending years of adolescence. There was another day in Eos, he beckoned.

"Icarus, are you well?"

"Yes."

"I'm not convinced. Your average heart rate has elevated lately."

"Is that so? You figure that one out," I said as I walked away.

There was truth in what he said. My hand at my chest, there would soon be the day, my heart would no longer beat there. At night, admittedly, it pounded--- every end of the day like a step towards inescapable fate.

In my futile search for reprieve, I felt the crushing self-disappointment of procrastination. There was a day I eluded security during a stroll through the Arboreteum. Standing in a mote of the eyes of the world, I remained, wishing I could be there forever yet knowing hunger and thirst would eventually bring me home.

As usual, the Arboreteum was empty. In time, in the distance, I saw a stray security guard. Predictably the android was a part of the search team. As time passed, the forest grew denser with androids all with the same searching behavior. Each android later arriving was more heavily armed than the last.

Knowing the situation wouldn't change, I stepped out, and when I did all androids convened at my location. Again, with my return to Eos, there was Raoul.

"Icarus, what happened at the Arboreteum?"

"I took a day nap."

"Listen," Raoul clicked his tongue, "Don't go out of your way to cause trouble for others. The worst you can do is cause trouble for Jupiter. She won't give second warnings."

_You don't get it Raoul. I've lived with two warnings all my life._

Another day, out of utter desperation, I looked at the frontiers. On the edge of civilization was Ceres, like a dull grey blotch that nearly merged with the lavender wastelands. The autonomous sector was populated by descendants of the old rebellion, but also fugitives, offworld refugees, and low lifes. The personal honor guards would stop me from going anywhere near the border.

However, Silbert was available and would always opt for an undercover guise for all trips outside of Tanagura. He wouldn't allow any guard to follow along. There was also an excusable point of interest being Katze's compound on the outskirts of Midas. I had no perception of Silbert as a fool, but one individual was not a search team.

In retrospection, the plan had no chance of succeeding. With the lightest step back, he heard me. When the hearing augments and all else were in place and the hallucinations of an unacclimated brain were gone, a soft press upon pavement was as audible as a clack upon marble, and night was as visible as day.

All as a result of the day I dreaded. At the medical wing, there was once again Raoul.

"Icarus, your heart rate. There's no use hiding it now."

There was little I could hide as my breath deepened and shallowed in sequence.

"Raoul," I said. "You're my older brother. There's no need for you be a nursemaid."

"Not my intention nor my role. I oversee the surgical operator and it's in my right to know."

"I can accept doing this another day."

One day. I thought about the previous. What could one day have changed? The passing of the hours when an entire day was a luxury--- now I felt the inflated value of every minute and second.

"Everything short of a condition that'd postpone the procedure," Raoul sighed. "Being made perfect and complete in Her grand vision, does that bother you so much?"

"You list tangible benefits, but omit intangible losses I could never regain."

Raoul shook his head before leaving the room.

_You just don't understand, Raoul._

A drop of water fell upon my hand.

"Rain?" I said under my breath.

Elsewhere like another point in time, in another building, I stood near street facing windows, floor-to-ceiling of multiple storeys. On the upper half were aerocars flying by. Daylight dimmed by clouds and the soft repeating splatter of raindrops filled the vacant air. The view of Tamagura was distorted by drops of rain gliding down.

There was a time Raoul told me.

"Show him at a free party, and have him take a female."

"You just don't understand, Raoul," I said in solitude.

Because of a day in Mistral. In streets of Midas, no one stood out as much as the black mark in the colorful crowds of civilians: dark clothing and what was natural black hair.

I walked closer and had to make sure.

A teenager in the ending fringe of adolesence broke my disbelief. In an unconvincing act, bumped into an older citizen causing the latter's card holder to jutt from the coat pocket. The old man didn't notice, but predictably the teen reached to claim a few cash cards.

I caught his wrist. "I highly disapprove of that behavior."

"What's happening?" Raoul wove through the crowd to where I was, "What are you doing?"

I avoided incriminating my captive. Raoul and I looked at the strange mongrel with black hair. After Raoul's brief inspection, from the look in his eyes I could tell in a less fortunate situation for the mongrel, Raoul would take it to his lab as a specimen.

"Go on ahead," I said to Raoul. "I'll settle this immediately."

"Fine by me," Raoul shrugged. "But don't go around picking up strangers."

“I have better things to do with my time.”

"Good."

When Raoul left earshot, I freed the mongrel with a shove, “Cut it out if you were just playing around."

"Mind your own business," he retorted after recovering his balance. "If you have time for a dumb lecture, then call the police already."

_How brazen of him to resign to fate._

There wasn't much condemnable malice in the youth's episode of petty theft, but he didn't seem inclined in the slightest to drop the subject. Regardless of the spectating pedestrians and the chuckling bystanders, the mongrel stubbornly maintained his stance.

"Watch yourself," I motioned to conclude this encounter. "There won’t be a next time."

"Hold on!" The mongrel went as far as to block my path. "Why are you just letting me go?"

 _Too long of a story to explain._ "On a whim."

"On principle, I won't owe anyone favors! Not even a Tanagura big shot like you."

"Oh?" my voice rose in amusement. "Is it your habit to find faults in kindness of others?"

"Stop staring and follow me."

I had the choice of having his company or attending the reception Raoul wanted me to be at. I took the former. We walked from the densely populated streets of Mistral to seedier avenues until there couldn't be more than one guess in what the mongrel had in store. In Minos, the love hotel, he and I stood.

My hand pressed both of his against the wall, and I looked downward--- a sight unseen in a long time, and now in a younger form. He was still in the process of filling out a well-proportioned frame. Each muscle group budged outward and formed soft shadows. As expected, even when his back was to the wall, his dark eyes retained a glare of undisguised insubordination. He didn't seem inclined to keep the moment in silence.

"Why are you just staring?"

"Don't worry. I'll enjoy myself."

When I stroked his chin, my own words from a distant past echoed.

_Embezzlement carried the penalty of death, but I've made some arrangements. I recommend you get used to this._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RE: the pickpocketing scene, I needed the detail of the 2008 audio drama, but the brevity of the 1990 OVA.


	12. Space and Time Between II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Space is beautiful, isn't it? <https://invidio.us/watch?v=aOmlyDrltBQ>

The new dawn after the rebellion ushered in the new era.

Lit like embers beneath the haze and smoke of clouds, the city lights of Midas made cracks and fissures upon the planet. The cinders of fallen space dust wandered in the wind. Above, tides of color flickered over the horizon as geomagnetic storms raged, and far beyond, the galaxy split the sky. When daylight washed over the night, the city lights waned and the skies erased the depth of space.

Iason stood at the windows of Apex Level. Most saw him looking forward to the oncoming future of Tanagura's uncontested authority, a golden age of prosperity, and the beauty of Amoi's atmosphere, but only a few recognized the unsaid sorrow in his eyes.

Beyond the outskirts of Midas were the newly sprouted cluster of buildings, the new colony. No matter how reviled that corner of the world was, as the common citizens averted their eyes in disgust and grimaced at the city's tumor, Iason faced Ceres.

"The others often mention you're looking out the windows," Raoul, still wearing his lab coat, joined.

"Shouldn't you be in your lab?"

"I did all I had to for the week. I figure you needed company."

"Company." Iason's eyes lowered. "It's only you and me now. The rest aren't the same anymore."

Raoul placed his hand on Iason's shoulder.

Silbert, walking from the elevators, stopped to drop a passing comment.

"Raoul," he said. "You reek of formaldehyde. You should address the leakage from your head."

Neither Raoul or Iason said a word in response, but once Silbert left earshot, Iason chuckled. Unamused, Raoul frowned.

"What's so funny?"

"You had the opportunity to change him to be anyway you want," Iason smiled. "But he still has that attitude."

Raoul sighed. "I decided to leave that part of him in."

Iason laughed.

"Listen." Raoul became indignant. "I never want to do the same to you."

...

_"I flatly refuse to be the one who tampers with your mind."_

...

_Iason, we had eternity ahead of us. Why did you give that up for a mongrel?_

"So." Rye interjected. "You're some kind of... doctor."

Raoul stood in his personal laboratory. Vast space with equipment on par with Eos' medical wing and Tanagura's manufacturing labs. He kept the room in ambient darkness. Only scant sources of light were lit besides the primary one focused on the operating area.

Raoul looked back. Behind him was the mongrel bound by the restraining mechanism's arms.

"No."

His voice carried less the tone of clarification and more of a hardened decline. Raoul held the subtle evidence of suppressed hatred. Every time he saw Rye trotting and wandering around in Eos, he felt sickening anger well inside and the rage of hellfire.

"That's a harsh look." Rye held a sliver of his cool. Raoul's raw emotion while retaining every nuance of sophistication, but no guarantee of empathy or mercy, started to unnerve him.

"I take creative liberties in my work," Raoul said. "I don't believe you fully understand the situation you're in."

"Then tell it like it is."

Raoul turned to Rye. Clean metal with a gleam that stung the eyes as well as the curved blades that cut flesh, Raoul held in his hand a small case of scapels, hooks, and surgical tools.

"Behave," Raoul said. "Be silent and I might just give you anaesthesia.

"When I'm done with you, you won't remember this conversation."

As Raoul walked closer, the ceiling mounted mechanisms descended. Long like limbs of a spider that stemmed from no perceivable body like a nightmare. They moved from fixed point to fixed point without jitter, as though wounded flesh were to be treated the same as welding metal. The mechanical arms were tipped with bone-cutting saws, long syringes that harbored unknown fluids, and more that Rye couldn't recognize.

Rye didn't let a single word escape. _Shit... Shit..._

Rye's wrists curled against the restraints as last chances drained by the second, but he only managed to bend his palms and flail his fingers. Despite the operating dimensions fit for human proportions, immediately, it became obvious that the surgical operator was designed to restrain subjects that were several times stronger than ordinary humans.

The target designator lit a red laser mark upon Rye's neck, and a syringe moved to descend.

* * *

Raoul removed his lab coat covered in red splotches. Nonabsorbent nanofibers repelled the stains, and blood dripped down the long coat to the floor leaving trails too thin to fall. He discarded his bloodstained gloves to the disposal bin and changed to a clean pair. Just as he left the operating room, Silbert stepped to intervene.

"Not you again," Raoul said.

"Raoul," Silbert's usual derision dripped with every word. "Any medical novice would outperform you in the art of triage. Do tell why a healthy mongrel has your priority over a VIP in critical condition."

"Well," Raoul chuckled lightly in dismissal. "If you must know, it just so happens that the mongrel isn't a mongrel. Based on my brief assessment, its pedigree closer deserves A-class than Z."

"Your attempt at humor?"

"A DNA test indicates it's pure of artificial genes and entirely unmodified. Present era considering, there's no chance it's a descendant of any modern bloodline on Amoi."

"Fine, if you wish to insinuate Icarus acquired a black pearl from the gutter," Silbert's skepticism remained unfazed. "I won't let you detract from the real matter at hand."

"I'm just covering my tracks. Unlike you." Raoul shrugged, "I expected you to be hiding in a corner or crawling in a vent."

With a self-assured smile on his face, Silbert took out a data slate and woke the device from hibernation. He held it out to mockingly telegraph reading from the device.

"Very interesting projects you have ongoing in your lab. Was what you did to Aisha, your idea or Hers?"

The last words from Silbert struck a chord in Raoul. Raoul lunged to seize the slate from Silbert, but in a single motion, Silbert sidestepped, tripped Raoul, and mid-fall, stole from Raoul's pockets.

Raoul sighed as he got back up. "Do what you want, but keep Her out of the matter."

"You have that much of my confidentiality, seeing where Icarus is at the moment," Silbert filed away his new belongings. "I can't guarantee Her noninvolvement if your idiotic operations cause a war."

Silbert took his leave, following the route of a conventional exit. Not long after, a nearby terminal display relayed a notification from the lab's security division.

"Lord Am," a guard reported, "We've detected physical intrusion to the lab."

"It's Silbert Domina. Leave him be."


	13. Cold Snap

In Eos, in a large storage room of high verticality, cold sleep chambers sized to house a single occupant lined from floor to the high ceilings. The internal chill formed condensation obscuring its occupants. Icarus walked with Orphe.

"Such an excess from Guardian these days," Orphe said. "Since you're of age, your personal attendants henceforth are Furniture."

The mental cataclysm hadn't settled. Blades, syringes, and warm flesh upon cold metal--- a machine Icarus did not want to see again haunted his memory. Not long after, the caretaker gynoid gave her silent farewell to him, and combed his bangs back behind his ears before leaving. Even when she held him for the last time, there was still the distance between them of a star setting behind the horizon.

Icarus stood without visible reaction.

Orphe slightly frowned in sympathy. He handed Icarus a clipboard-sized dataslate. "Are you able to use your fingers yet?"

"Barely," Icarus slowly took the slate.

"You may use the touch interface, if you prefer not to confirm with your signature," Orphe said. "Your Furniture will be sent to the medical wing for evaluation and the standard procedures after waking, but should arrive later in the day ready to serve.

"The rest, I leave to you," Orphe walked away.

Icarus read the data slate. He confirmed the waking process, but paused upon the other forms to confirm regarding the standard procedures to send the Furniture through. His hand snapped the data slate. Fingers carelessly handled the fragments and dropped the pieces to the floor.

Not sparing much concern, Icarus stepped on the shards as he left the room.

Then mental visions blackened and reality returned to the forefront of Icarus' mind. Kneeled and head bowed, hair that ordinarily covered the back of his neck, slid forward and exposed an interface port. Occupied, when he was freed from the connection, bodily control returned.

"Like waking from a long nightmare," he said under his breath.

He stood to face the holographic colossus looming over. The two exchanged words in the silent void of the chamber. After he parted with Her, the dense haze of a foreign presence weighed heavier on his mind.

At cell block level, Icarus pushed the cell door open. In the middle of the creak of light, Rye sat curled and clutching the wall. Haunted by absent cold and an assumed assailant, he faced away from the entrance and shivered.

 _How long has he been here?_ Icarus stepped forward. "Rye, are you alright?"

"Android." Rye's voice quaked as pointed to the door. "Over there."

An obscured silhouette stood at the door in the conventional stance of a guard.

"He won't bother us. Let's go."

As Icarus took Rye's arm, Rye grabbed Icarus's sleeve, even slumping to a downward tug. Standing and making his way out with Icarus, not in the least bit willing to face the android guard.

In the following nights, Rye hadn't been the same.

An old memory screamed to be remembered in a mind that only wished it to remain forgotten. Like a wet painting ruined by water, but the stains remained on the canvas. A dreamscape haunted by red and the heavy waft of doom.

A machine monstrosity forced him between the borders of life and death. The same inhuman tormentor that drained darkened blood from his veins, fed back the same but brightened into his arteries. No words, as though no air would reach his lungs, no bargaining, only a clinical control of pain.

The saving grace for undesired visions was waking. Every breath was drawn like obsessive proof that everything was fine. Rye hyperventilated, but being in the arms of another, bedside, just wasn't enough.

In turn, Icarus woke and looked back. "Rye, you've been doing this every night for the past week. Tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing."

The same thining excuse came from Rye's mouth. Bluffs and shows of confidence were invaluable in Ceres; no less were those second nature now as it was then. The increasingly apparent truth was that slum bravado did little to hold beyond that of street fights and gang encounters.

Months later, at another social event in Eos...

The cylindrical room curled downward like a vortex. Multiple floors stacked like terraces pulling back from the center, and the inner rims of the floor sloped and guided the eyes downward. Most activity concentrated on the lower levels closest to the center stage.

In the tables among the audience, two white haired elites conversed to each other.

"I don't see the mongrel on stage and haven't in the past, have you?"

"No. I don't believe Lord Icarus ever intends on parting with it."

"Peculiar," he could not speak lightly on the matter, "A long term attachment is obsolete, no?"

The two silenced as a group of Blondies walked by.

Sitting far from the ground floor and divested from the stage's ongoings, on the floor of curved couches, scattered like ringlets, Icarus and Rye sat in nigh isolation from the crowd.

A red haired elite came by.

"Ah Lord Mink." he said before discomfort sank into his voice, "And the same mongrel."

Icarus' stony demeanor didn't change to acknowledge, "Is there something you wish to say about him?"

"No! No. Of course not." he withdrew, "It appears very displeased is all."

Rye sat besides Icarus, in the latter's arm, and faced away from the conversation. A heavy scowl on his lips and his long-sleeved arms crossed and covering his chest.

Without a change in his facial expression, Icarus' shifted his hand up and dispersed Rye's arms, revealing not a standard Pet half shirt, but an immodest variant that entirely bared the chest while covering neck and arms. Rye's right nipple had been pierced. Icarus' hand slowly approached and nudged. After a few repetitions, Rye's scowl to wobbled and faded.

"Oh." The redhead wasn't comfortable with the implications. He feigned interest. "My lord, is that its identification?"

"Yes. There were criticisms of showmanship regarding the last ring, were there not?"

"Ah... Right."

As the redhead saw the other lords coming over, he took his leave at the slightest opportunity that bordered on informalities.

"Icarus," Gideon greeted with a smile. "Not very enthusiastic as usual.

"New ideas as always?" he pointed to Rye.

Icarus remained reticent. Rye held himself uninvolved with the conversation, but when he saw in the corner of his eye who went to sit closest to Icarus, he blanched.

"Goodness, Raoul," Haynes, from across the curved couch, remarked with a chuckle. "It looks like your presence chills Rye down to the bone."

"A reaction I can learn to tolerate it for," Raoul flatly said.

Icarus glanced at Raoul.

"Icarus, shouldn't you finally pair it off and get a new one by now?" Orphe added. "It's more an outlier than it ever was before."

Rye flinched, but held his word. "No way," he thought, utterly reviled at the idea.

Not far out of sight, sunken under the sultry haze of dim, magenta lights, center stage, was the "public spectacle" of Pets in their last days in Eos. To no surprise for Rye, as long as they had something on their minds in the present, the near and coming future didn't matter.

"Besides, many of the others are warming up to it," Gideon commented. "Who would've guessed such a thing would be mucking around in Ceres?"

"I don't have any plans in pairing Rye off," Icarus said.

* * *

"Welcome home," Tyler bowed at the door, greeting Rye and Icarus.

After Tyler walked off, and not far from the door, Rye's long-held tolerance started to wear out.

"It must be nice being the one calling the shots here," Rye ranted. "Can't imagine myself prancing naked in front of perverts."

Icarus never broached from his dignified stance, and he didn't take kindly to the abrasive words.

"I've declined all offers, haven't I?"

"It's not that you did. It's that the decision was on you to begin with."

"You are my Pet." Icarus asserted. "Everything concerning you is my decision. Your stay in my residence. The very clothes you wear, I can deny. Don't forget that my lenience is your luxury."

"What the--"

"Are the conditions of your stay unacceptable?"

"Yeah," Rye uttered, half in shock.

Icarus grabbed Rye by the collar and started walking.

"Let go of me. Let the fuck go of me."

Rye, pulled into his room was thrown onto his bed in a one-armed toss. Not long after, his hands were cuffed together.

"What the fuck are you trying to pull here?"

"Remember how we first met?" Icarus looked at Rye, face-to-face.

Rye scoffed. "Who could forget."

"I'm just keeping you safe." Icarus clarified as he stroked Rye's chin. "Don't you know how worried I was when you went missing? Are you going to ignore that?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Just as those words spilled from Rye's mouth, a hard slap came across his face. Icarus promptly turned his back and left the room.

The door shut.

"Who the fuck does he think he is!"

Rye got up to crouch at the bedpost for a look at the cuffs. He dug his fingers into his long sleeve for a shim and probed for the locking mechanism. He jammed one cuff.

Tyler walked in. "Sir. What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Rye retorted just as he jammed the second cuff and freed both his hands.

"Sir, you're supposed to be detained in your room as Lord Icarus intended."

Too pissed to spare coutesy, Rye shot a heated glare.

"If you want to be his bitch, then you wear this shit, and you wave your ass in his face," he walked to leave the room.

Tyler tackled Rye to the floor.

"Get off, you dickless asswipe," Rye fought to push Tyler off, "Always taking his fucking side!"

"He revived me from stasis," Tyler's voice broke from the standard tones of Furniture and started to bleed with real emotion, "He spared me when everyone else was butchered."

Rye launched a kick to get Tyler off and didn't care where it would land. Incidentally, it landed right on Tyler's groin stunning him in recoil in a way Rye didn't expect Furniture would be prone to.

Rye ran out of his room. "I'll go where ever the hell I want."

He didn't have any intention of going out the front door, not just yet.

Not long after the night terrors, Icarus began imposing restrictions. The first was never leaving the residence without the data slate, which wasn't a hard compromise, and conformed rather well with habit. At the time, Rye shrugged.

More security, or a sense of, and lessening freedom started to bear less the likings of a home and more of a prison. It escalated to never leaving the residence without being accompanied. If it didn't have any influence in staving off another run-in with military androids, then at least he wasn't going to be alone in it again. Anything after that encounter, however, was like a burned hole in a strip of film.

"Maybe," Rye held his head, "I did go missing?"

Icarus' residence had every room to spare in wandering about. Not too vast of a space to leave no corridors and nothing to imagination. Rye wandered off to the odd end that was distant from the dining room, utilities, and commonly visited areas. It, like most areas, were ferverently maintained, no matter the use or visitation, the rooms appeared new. But the lack of personal belongings or decoration betrayed that it was an area that was sparingly used if at all to begin with.

Rye opened a door to an unlit room, except for a bead of light iconic to a cold sleep chamber. Low lights exuded from underneath a densely fogged glass pane.

"Huh? Someone else's been here the whole time?"

Rye walked forward to wipe the glass pane clear. When he peered inside, the face he saw was Icarus'.

"What the fuck. I don't fucking believe it," Rye jumped. "What the hell is going on here!"

No point in storing androids and nonorganics in cold sleep. No less disturbed than he was when he first looked. Rye crept backwards. When his back bumped into someone else at the doorway, he turned and looked up.

Icarus.

"Well?" Icarus interrogated. "Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"You... you're a cyborg."

Icarus' eyes narrowed.

With angered force, Icarus grabbed Rye's wrist. The sleeve pushed back revealed a collection of shims and lockpicks. Improvised metals, bent and twisted, were shoved between stretched interior stitchings.

Tyler limped his way to the scene. His arm hovered over his torso with every attempt to ambiguate the area that was in pain.

"Tyler," Icarus ordered. "Check for picks in Rye's clothing. Take away any you find."

"Yes, my lord."

"What," Rye protested. "Son of a---"

Icarus tugged hard on the collar and again pulled Rye elsewhere.

* * *

Icarus pulled off Rye's shirt. The latter's head caught in the stretching neckpiece as lockpicks and small scraps of metal fell to the floor. Each made a small chime upon impact.

"Fucker," Rye shook his head out from the shirt and turned to face Icarus. "Just when I thought Eos couldn't get more fucked up behind the nice coat of paint. Is that everyone or just you?"

"Is everyone what?"

"Uploading themselves to some sex android chassis."

"A sex android?" Icarus' eyes narrowed. "Is that what I am to you?"

"Why else would you fucks keep around---"

Another hard slap came across Rye's face.

"You've a poor idea of knowing when to stop." Icarus said. "Remove the rest of your clothes."

Rye tugged the rim of his pants, but paused. A collar in a tight hug around his neck like a bad show of ownership; a nipple piercing he didn't ask for; a shirt, though he disliked it, forcefully pulled off; a pair of blue eyes descending on him in an expectant, lascivious stare. Rye looked back in silent offense.

"What's wrong?" Icarus chuckled. "This isn't the first time we've been together."

 _This isn't like him._ "Easy for you to say." Rye scoffed. "Let's see you sing the same tune in my position."

"I have no shame in the body Jupiter granted me." Icarus started to remove the outer layer of his body suit. The thin inner layer tightly clung to his chest and was rippled with contours. "Should She demand my performance, I will oblige."

 _Psh._ "No shame of what's inside the ice chest?"

"As I've said," Icarus emphasized, "I have no shame in the body Jupiter granted me."

Rye stepped back. One step, and by the front of the collar, Icarus grabbed and pulled Rye forward.

"I won't spare reminders." Icarus' fingers spanned the left side of Rye's chest, thumb pressed and bent the left nipple stiffened by cold air.

Rye's teeth jabbed down on his lip and hardly maintained a frown twitched up and down. He wasn't being touched anywhere else, but his pelvis flushed with sensations remembered down to the nerves. Rye turned his head away, but it didn't help that he still stood in close proximity to the beautiful blond.

"The left is more sensitive, but you don't suppose the right deserves attention?" Icarus said.

Icarus held Rye by the chest, right hand reciprocating the same hold as the left. Circular caresses pushed tender skin against the metal piercing.

"Cut it out," Rye gasped and breathed a new pace. He clutched Icarus' forearms predisposed to pry off the hold, but Icarus started walking forward. Rye's knee, busied by walking back, approached between Icarus' legs. If Icarus was any other man, Rye would've struck upwards, but relented.

Icarus pushed Rye on to the bed. Long blond hair draped downward and streaked the sides of Rye's vision. Downward pin with the heavier weight of a cyborg body model, and a sinking soft bed that couldn't support a push back. Between Rye's still clothed legs, Icarus' knee softly wedged between, undulating and taunting eager flesh further into arousal.

"Cry for me," Icarus commanded. "Anything withheld is mine to seize, and that will be all."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is planned after some chapter extensions to the following chapters:  
> Part 2 Chapter 5-7  
> Part 3 Chapter 3 (Flashback)  
> Part 3 Chapter 7 (Storm)
> 
> The main points remain the same, but are re-edited to smoothen transitions between events in the story. There may be entirely new conversations and scenes. You can see a timeline when they come here: <https://gnusocial.no/licho/tag/fanfic> if AO3's last update doesn't distinguish between minor edits and chapter revisions.


End file.
